Haunting_Love

"It all happened in less than a second. The boy I
loved was gone. Gone forever at first it seemed.
Until he found his way back to me."
Malerie's life couldn't be worse. Her parents both died
of drug overdose when she was only nine years old. Since then,
alone and depressed, she's lived with her grandmother, with
only one friend, Julius, whom she secretly loves, to get her
through each day.

When Julius finally starts to show that he might just love her
back, he is ripped away from her. Ripped away from life.

But he doesn't leave.

Submitted: December 03, 2011

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Submitted: December 03, 2011

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First Draft – Haunting Love

Present Day

The sky is blue, a beautiful shade of light blue, with the occasional cloud passing overhead. The light breezy wind brushes my skin as I lay in the swaying green grass. My skin soaks up the warm
sun as my hands brush over the grass around me.

“Mal! Malerie!” Someone shouts. I remain lying still in the grass, just gazing at the sky.

“Mal, there you are.” A deep masculine voice says quietly. I recognize the voice, its Julius, but do not say anything. I just
continue staring at the clouds. Julius has been my best friend since I was eleven. I hear him lie down beside me.

“What are you doing out here?” Julius asks referring to my lying in the middle ofGrenviewPark. Finally I look at him.

“The sky is beautiful. It is such a lovely day out.” I say turning my head to look back up at the sky.

“It is.” He sighs, and takes hold of my hand. I can’t feel him though. A warm salty tear escapes my eyes, but I quickly wipe it
away before Julius can notice it.

Six Years Ago

“Hey Malerie!” Sandra calls, saying my name in a nasty nasal voice. I freeze then pretend I don’t hear her. I slowly start
walking again. My shoes tap against the black top of the playground as I walk away.

“Where do you think your going?” She says and suddenly her hand is gripped around my wrist. She forcefully turns me towards
her. She stares at my wide eyes with a cold glare. “Didn’t your parents ever tell you that it’s rude to ignore someone? Oh wait, I forgot, of course they didn’t because they’re dead.” She says
mocking sympathy. An emotion she must be incapable of feeling. Her heart is cold, as cold as ice.

“I-I”I stutter trying to stand up for my self. There are a thousand insults I can think of. It’s too bad the words just
won’t come out.

“It’s too bad that you didn’t die with them. Malerie, why did your parents die? Hmm… oh right! They took to many drugs. You
parents did drugs. Do you do drugs Mal?” She taunted. I covered my face, trying to fight the tears that threatened to escape. I refuse let them see me as a weak cry baby.

“Shut up Sandra. It’s none of your business. Shouldn’t you be worrying about your dead grandmother’s funeral? You act like
there’s something wrong with her because her parents died, but wouldn’t that mean the same for you and you grandmother?” A boy says, defending me. When Sandra doesn’t reply, he continues, “That’s
what I thought.” She runs away, with a group of other kids, who were listening to her tease me, following her, leaving me and the boy by ourselves.

“Are you okay?” He asks, looking genuinely concerned. I nod and recover myself. “My name’s Julius. I think we are in the
same class.”

“We are. My name is Malerie.” I say and smile at him.

Present Day

We stay lying in the grass for a few hours. Just as the sun starts to set, my cell phone rings. It’s my
grandmother. I don’t answer it, but instead I stand up and tell Julius that I need to go home.

“My grandma’s worried. I need to go. Bye.” I whisper, knowing he can hear me because of the quietness surrounding us. He
nods but remains in the grass.

“Bye, my love.” He whispers back. I smile at him before leaving.

It’s dark when I reach my apartment building. I climb the stairs to the fifth floor and when I reach my apartment, I unlock the
door. I close the door behind me and just stand there breathing in the sweet scent of peanut butter and lilacs; two of my grandma’s favorite things.

“Honey, is that you?” My grandmother calls from the kitchen.

“Yeah, Grams, it’s me.” I reply and move to the kitchen.

Our apartment is small. There are two bedrooms, one bath, and a kitchen. No dining room. The walls are painted white, and have
to stay that way. The carpet is light cream color. Or at lease it used to be. It’s worn down and darker from the many years of dirty or muddy shoes running through. I have lived here with my
grandmother since I was nine years old. I moved in with her after my parents died.

They died of a drug overdose. I miss them even though they weren’t the best parents. They were always doing drugs, or drinking
or just weren’t home. They weren’t always like that. It started when I was about four or five years old. I don’t remember it well. I hardly remember them at all, in fact. But they were my parents
so I do love and miss them very much. Julius thinks it can be a bad thing that I am so forgiving of people. I disagree with him though. You can’t live without forgiveness, or you would be forever
punished for your mistakes, which would be horrible.

“I called your cell. No one answered. Did you get my call?” She asks worriedly.

“Yeah, my phone was on silent so I couldn’t hear it. Sorry.” I lie. She gives me an odd look. I smile at her as convincingly as
I can.

“Well, where were you? You know you aren’t supposed to be out after dark. What if something happened to you?” She continues.

“I was just at the garden in the park. I lost track of time. I’m sorry. I love you.” I say. It’s true. I do love my grandmother.
She just worries a lot, is all.

“Love you too. Now why don’t you get ready for bed?” She says shooing me out the kitchen. I laugh and say ‘Okay’.

***

The next day, my morning passes in a blur. I don’t take in anything specific. I don’t pay attention to the teachers. It’s like
I’m in a trance. That is, until lunch. Sandra, my long-time bully, decides to torment me again.

I am sitting at an empty lunch table near the window, eating a salad and staring out the window, when Sandra’s familiar nasal
voice interrupts my thoughts.

“There, there, poor little Mal, sitting all alone. Are you lonely Malerie?” When I don’t answer she continues, “Good, you
deserve to be. I heard about that neighbor of yours. The one who died? Death must follow you every where doesn’t it. First those lousy parents of yours, then that boy, and now that sweet old
couple who lived in that trashy apartment building with you. You should be kicked out of school before people here start dieing. Oh, wait, it’s already too late.” She says with her voice a mock
tone of sweetness. I cringe, and stare anywhere besides at her and the people surrounding us. There is nothing sweet about this girl. She is the devil, if not something worse.

“Even your little b”- She starts to say.

“Hey, hey, what’s going on? Find your seat. I mean now!” One of the lunch supervisors says, interrupting her from what she was
about to say. My shoulders slump and I gather my food onto my tray before standing and throwing it into the trash can. I quickly leave lunch.

***

After school, I head over to Terri’s Diner. It’s a small diner, where I work. I mostly bust tables, but occasionally I cover for
someone by waiting tables. I don’t really like working here, I used to, back when Julius worked her with me, but now I am starting to despise working here. If I didn’t need the money, I would
have quit months ago.

Although Julius doesn’t work here anymore, he is always sitting in the back booth, watching me. You might think that’s weird,
but it’s not. I wouldn’t be able to make it through work without knowing he was there. I love Julius. He’s not only my best friend, but he can’t ever really become anything more. And it hurts. If
only you understood.

***

After work, Julius and I walk hand-in-hand to my apartment. Again, I can’t feel his hand, but I know its there. I fight the
tears I feel creeping up on me. I refuse to let Julius see how broken I am. It would break him more than he already is.

Three Months Ago

“Woo! I am king of the world!” Julius screams as loud as he can. He stares out at the city and all the
lights from the stores and street lamps. He feels free, I can tell. We are on the roof of my apartment building.

I lie down on the cement roof top. Julius comes and lies next to me. I turn to look at him. He smiles at me. A smile I look
forward to seeing everyday. The smile that keeps my heart beating. If only he knew what an effect he has over me.

He looks deeply into my eyes, and takes my hand. His thumb rubbing circles on the back of my hand. I shiver and he moves
closer. My eyes close as I feel his lips gently touch mine. At this moment I know. I know he knows, and that he has always known.

He pulls away for a brief second. A second long enough to say, “I love you.” My smile broadens, and his lips touch mine
again. I feel sparks and I shiver. He pulls away all too soon, and stands pulling me up with him. He leads me to the side of the roof. I sit near the side, but not close enough to see over it. He
remains standing.

“It’s beautiful. Not as beautiful as you, but it sure is something. Isn’t it?” He says as he bends to peer over the side. In
less than a second her is over the side and is falling. I scream. That second felt like forever. My legs are glued down. I can’t move. My heart feels like its going to pound out of my chest. I
don’t know happened.

Julius! He’s gone. I never even had to chance to tell him I love him.

Present Day

It all happened in less than a second. The boy I loved was gone. Gone forever at first it seemed. Until he
found his way back to me.

I see the ghost of the boy I loved. I am forever haunted by what happened, but I never want him to leave me. He is the only one
I ever loved, the only one who ever loved me.

Sandra is right about one thing. That death follows me everywhere. I just wish she wasn’t right, because she is so wrong about
everything else.

Julius and I walk silently until we reach my apartment building.

“Bye, my love.” He says. It hurts so much each time he says bye. My heart just about breaks, and it would, if I didn’t know he
will be back soon.

I whisper the word bye back, and enter my apartment. My grandmother isn’t home yet. She visits her friends for tea, during the
day, almost everyday. I take a quick shower then find a book and snuggle up in bed to read. I hadn’t realized how tired I was, and soon fall asleep.

***

The next day, I skip school and go to my favorite spot in the garden. I can’t help but think about my parents and Julius and all
those who have died around me. I start to cry, despite my not wanting too.

Julius finds me here. He sits beside me, trying to comfort me. My body shakes with each uncontrollably sob. I can tell it’s
hurting him to see me like this, but I can’t stop. I can’t even try to stop. I wish he were still alive. I wish I feel his touch and his warmth. No matter how much I wish for it, I know it will
never happen.

“Mal. Malerie. Please stop.” Julius says, his teeth clenched, there is sorrow and hurt in his voice. After a while my sobs start
to slow and the tears stop.

“I love you Malerie. I want to be with you forever.” He says, his gaze penetrating mine. I close my eyes.

“I know. I love you too, but you can’t stay. You need to move on. We can’t be together. You’re-You’re” I stutter.

“A ghost. Dead. I know this, but I can not leave you. I love you.” He says, forcefully this time. I feel like my heart is being
ripped to tiny little pieces. Like it’s shattering into little shards that pierce and stab at my chest. I can hardly breathe. I wish he could stay with me. I wish I could go with him. I-I wish-I
wish…

“I love you. I will always love you.” Julius says, as he leans toward me. My eyes close again as his lips touch mine, for the
third time ever. I can not feel his lips, but I can feel his presence and I know he’s there.

“Never forget me. Bye, my love.” He says for the last time, staring sadly into my teary eyes. Then he vanishes. Just like that
and he’s gone. Only this time, he really is gone forever. I break down and cry, cry like I never have before, as if I am dieing. And I am dieing. I am dieing for every time he said he loved me,
for every time he looked in my eyes, or kissed me, or held my hand. I am dieing for every moment I ever spent with him. I am dieing and I would have it no other way.

***

Julius has moved on, and I will too, eventually. His memory lives on inside of me. I miss him everyday. I still hear his voice,
and see his face. I will never forget the boy who stood up for me, who I love, who had loved me, the boy who saved me.